A BLOCKADE by farmers angry at the rising cost of fuel was called off last night outside a Cheshire oil refinery after fourteen hours.

A BLOCKADE by farmers angry at the rising cost of fuel was called off last night outside a Cheshire oil refinery after fourteen hours.

Pressure group Farmers For Action (FFA) staged the protest at the Shell oil refinery at Stanlow, the seat of the nationwide protests of September 2000, and prevented several takers from leaving.

At around 7pm last night their vehicles left the main gate and protesters said they were attempting to disrupt the movement of tankers from an alternative entrance.

Later, the group claimed that protesters would target other plants in South Wales and the North East and there were reports of "convoys" of around 50 lorries and coaches heading for two refineries in West Wales.

A police spokesman confirmed protestors had left the Cheshire plant's main entrance, but David Handley, of FFA, said: "The protests are going very well."

Both Shell and police confirmed that fuel distribution was running normally and there were no reports of panic buying at petrol stations.